IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, THE BIG CHILL ON THE WAY WILL HAVE YOU TURNING UP THE HEAT. AS PATRICK PAOLANTONIO SHOWS, NEW AT TEN, WHEN THE THERMOSTAT GOES UP, THERE ARE A FEW, INEXPENSIVE THINGS TO DO TO TRY TO KEEP THE HEATING BILLS DOWN. THE CAPE COD HAS BEEN HERE SINCE THE 19-40'S. THE HOMEOWNER-- NOT AS LONG. VICTORIA CASS, BOUGHT THE HOUSE JUST OVER A YEAR AGO, RECENTLY, SHE HAD SOME TROUBLE. VICTORIA CASS/HOMEOWNER MY FURNACE WASN'T KICKING ON THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO AND THE HOUSE WAS GETTING COLD A REMINDER, TO GET IT CHECKED OUT. GOOD MORNING. HELLO KURT GORDON IS HERE TO TUNE UP THE FURNACE. AND WITH MORE FURNACES FIRING UP... WE ASKED ABOUT SIMPLE THINGS PEOPLE CAN DO TO HOPEFULLY MINIMIZE THEIR HEATING COSTS. THIS IS FAIRLY CLEAN GORDON SAYS A BIG THING IS KEEPING THE FILTER CLEAN. A DIRTY FILTER, CAN COST YOU. KURT GORDON/BURKHARDT HEATING, AIR CONDITIONING AND DUCT CLEANING - THE AIR MOVEMENT THROUGH THE FURNACE ISN'T GONNA BE AS GREAT, SO IT'S GONNA RUN LONGER AND COST YOU MORE ENERGY. ALSO ON THE LIST- MAINTAIN THE FURNACE. GET IT CHECKED ONCE A YEAR TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS AND THAT IT'S RUNNING AT PEAK EFFICIENCY. ALSO, CONTROL THE TEMPERATURE IN THE HOUSE. KURT GORDON/BURKHARDT HEATING, AIR CONDITIONING AND DUCT CLEANING IF YOU INSTALL A PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT SO YOU CAN SET THE TEMPERATURE DOWN WHEN YOU'RE NOT HOME THEN YOUR FURNACE WON'T RUN AS MUCH THEN. AS WINTER SETS IN, THERE IS A PROMISING SIGN ABOUT THE ENERGY BILL. WE ENERGIES IS FORECASTING A SLIGHT DECREASE IN WINTER HEATING COSTS, FOR THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER. BRIAN MANTHEY/WE ENERGIES SPOKESPERSON - TRANSLATES TO ABOUT 20 BUCKS LESS PER YEAR FOR THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS SO AGAIN, THAT'S BASED ON A NORMAL WINTER. WEATHER CAN MAKE THAT FLUCTUATE IN EITHER DIRECTION THOUGH. THE LITTLE WHITE HOUSE IS READY AND WAITING. PATRICK PAOLANTONIO/FOX POINT WHEN VICTORIA BOUGHT HER HOME THERE WERE ALREADY SOME NEWER WINDOWS IN PLACE. THEY ALSO DID A RENOVATION AND PUT IN NEW INSULATION. AND, THEY WENT AHEAD AND SEALED UP SOME OF THE CRACKS AND CREVICES. ADD TO IT, THE NEW DOORS THEY INSTALLED. SOME OF THE LONG TERM CHANGES TO MAKE THE HOME MORE EFFICIENT. IN THE SHORT TERM, THE TUNE UP PROVIDES SOME ANSWERS. SO DOES THAT MEAN I NEED A NEW BURNER? KURT: NO, IT WAS JUST NEED TO BE CLEANED. VICTORIA: SO, GOOD FOR THE MAINTENANCE RIGHT? KURT: YES! A SMILE FROM THIS HOMEOWNER WHO'S HOPING SHE'S ALL SET FOR ANOTHER YEAR. IN FOX POINT. PATRICK PAOLANTONIO W-I-S-N, 12 NEWS. WE ENERGIES USES A FORMULA TO COME UP WITH ITS FORECAST, LOOKING AT AREAS LIKE NATURAL GAS PRICES AND WEATHER STATS